I just created an account on an Intranet service, and I came across these password rules. As Dave Barry would say, I am not making this up.

Password Rules:
1. Must be at least six positions in length.
2. Must be no more than eight positions in length.
3. Must contain at least one alphabetic and one numeric character.
4. Must contain only alphabetic or numeric characters.
5. Must contain an alphabetic character in the first and last position.
6. Must contain no more than two identical consecutive characters.
7. Must not contain the userid as part of the password.
8. Must be changed at least once every 186 days.
9. Must not be shared.

I feel like I'm taking a freakin' Mensa quiz here. What password could I concoct that would fit these rules? The thing I'm signing up for is so benign - it's not like I'm setting off nuclear bombs, or even getting an email account. This is a program to award co-workers who have gone out of their way to be helpful.

Of course, once I devise such a password, the only way I can possibly remember it is to write it down, in defiance of all password rules.

Gratuitous link to a Slashdot discussion on the psychology of passwords.